The Mercer Girls
by serenity's angel
Summary: Come on, only four boys so far gone she couldn't do anything but take them in herself? It was also one girl and the two friends she met along the way, and they're also on the track of revenge for her killer. Set in the movie.
1. The Funeral

**Serenity Angel:** One of my favorite movies. I couldn't help it. This is one in a long line of fictions that are coming out for it! Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own four brothers or its characters, except Alex, and her friends.

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Detroit.

My home.

The only one I've ever known and it didn't feel like that right now. I was planning to come back earlier this week but not for the reason I'm here today. City-wise nothing's changed. They put up a new building here and there but that was it. But when it came to my life the most important thing was missing and gone forever. It was reason I was here in the last place I'd want to ever be. I would have to be saying goodbye to my mother for the last time. Evelyn Mercer, the only woman to take me in and care for me was dead. I sighed as I got out of the warmth of my car and into the frigid cold. I tried to blink back the tears from shedding. I took a deep breath and walked out in the cemetery. The final ceremony was about to begin.

I stayed to the back of the crowd of people and looked around. I wasn't really surprised by how many had come to pay their last respects. My mother was a well known and liked woman. As long as I've known her she's never had an enemy. Evelyn Mercer was a kind and gentle soul that cared about others. That's why she adopted me and my brothers. The preacher began his sermon bringing me out of my thoughts. I scan the crowds that were huddled together. I spotted the youngest of my older brothers, Jack quite easily. Though he was the youngest, he was also the tallest and his messy dirty blonde hair made him stick out a little. He wasn't really holding up well. I just really wanted to go and be near him, but I knew if I got any closer I wouldn't be able to stand much less hold in my tears.

Jerry was sitting down I guess, probably with his family. Then there was Bobby, stone-faced and always hiding his emotions. So the oldest of my brothers had made it back after being M.I.A for quite some time. We were all close to Ma and he loved that woman more than the world, I knew that. One's missing. I swear the next time I see Angel I owe him a smack to the head. How are you going to miss your mother's funeral? He better have a good freakin reason. I look at the coffin in the middle of the crowd and swallow hard. In the coffin was the body of the only mother I knew, the only grown up that's ever cared for me. The person that gave me a home and a family that will always care for me, and I for them. The person I was so afraid of loosing when I was younger and now I did. I sigh and let the tears I've been holding in run down my cheeks. I bite my lip so I won't make a sound. It just didn't make sense. Who would kill the sweetest woman in the world? What possessed them to do that? What did they have to gain?

The preacher had ended his sermon and it was time for the casket to be buried. _Buried_. I can't stand this. Why can't I wake up from this horrible nightmare? That was the problem. You can never wake up from the nightmare called reality. You just have to live with it. I had learned that lesson all to well when I was younger, but forgot it when Ma took me in, thinking that reality couldn't hurt me as much anymore. How wrong was I? The crowd began to disperse, all heading to Jerry's house. I stayed behind and walked toward the casket that was now in the ground. I bit my lip again to prevent from crying out and drop the single white rose I was holding onto it.

"Bye, Ma. I love you." I say through the tears. I stood there silent and alone. After I couldn't bear it any more I walked away. I walked back to my car wiping the tears from my face. I get there to be surprised to see someone waiting for me. Two people actually.

"Hailey Mathers and Andrea Johnson as I live and breathe." I say trying to manage a smile.

"Alexandria Mercer." Andrea said trying to hide the emotion in her voice.

Hailey was crying, her arms folded on her chest and giving me a weak smile. She moved her hand to wipe away the tears and then came over and hugged me. I let go of it then and just hugged her back and cried. Andrea came over to us and hugged us both, crying. You see these two girls are my best friends from my childhood. The best I ever had. Andrea is Bobby's age and Hailey was Jack's, who I was two years younger than. Though they weren't Mercers by name, Ma treated them like her own daughters, and my brothers made them apart of the family. So I knew for a fact they were feeling it as bad as I was. Hailey, probably worse since she was the only one living with Ma and was home at the time it happened. Long story short Ma took Hailey in after some "problems" concerning her father. She didn't want to loose us so her only living aunt and uncle let her live with us and sent money for her to Ma.

"Come on, you need to see your brothers." Andrea said after a while, pulling away first and wiping her eyes. I nod and pull my keys out of my coat pocket.

They had been dropped off with Jerry's group but he had already left, the two telling him to go on and they'd go with someone else. He knew who the "someone else" would be so he said nothing of it but agreed. They got into the car, Andrea taking shot gun and Hailey piling into the backseat. It didn't matter who was driving, the older of the other two always took shot gun. I started up the car and drove away from the cemetery, the final resting place of my mother. In the beginning we didn't talk much, but the silence was killing me and I needed to hear something friendly to drive away the numbness I was feeling.

"So Andi, how long you been back?" I say casually, clearing my throat and keeping my eyes on the road.

"Two years." She said as if it was the most obvious answer.

"Two years?" I say ripping my gaze from the road momentarily and looking at her. She looked back at me with raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I didn't tell you I officially moved back did I?" she said sheepishly and Hailey tried to make the snort that escaped her sound like cough.

"No, I don't think you mention that little detail." I say smiling a little.

"I thought you were happy with that ja-, I mean that guy in Chicago."

"Well he turned out to be a bust, like you guys knew." She said the last part in admittance tone.

"She was gonna cut **it** off of him." Hailey spoke up; looking out the window and out of the corner of my eye I see Andrea give her the only look and smacked her on the knee. I laughed despite myself.

"Whoa, what happen? He went looking for goodies elsewhere?" I say a smile of amusement on my lips.

"Long story short he got rough, and not in the good way. I left after the first hit."

"Not before busting his ass and getting a restraining order." Hailey added in again Andi sighed in defeat and I laughed again.

"What about you Hails? How you been? Still learning to become a MD?" I ask looking at her through the rearview mirror.

"Yup. That way I can replace Bobby's brain with a peanut. It'd be an upgrade." I laugh and see her smirk through the mirror.

"What did I tell you? That can't be done. Bobby's head is as thick as granite. Only thing that keeps it safe in his hockey games."

"Beside the ton of gel he puts in it." Hailey and Andrea mutter at the same time. I shake my head as I pull onto Jerry's street. It was packed with cars, unsurprisingly. I pull to a curb to drop the girls off.

"I'm gonna look for a spot. Go in before me." I said turning to look at them.

"You sure? Not gonna make a run for it?" Hailey said in a joking tone, but I knew she was serious.

"No I can't. Jackie would never forgive me." I say using the him as my excuse. But in truth I didn't have the strength to. I need to see my brothers. I need to make sure I still had family.

"Ok baby girl, we'll see you inside." Andi said using one of the many nicknames I had and opening her door and getting out of the car.

Hailey followed and I watch them walk down the street before finding a good parking spot. I manage to find one that was near Bobby's car. I turn off the engine and sit there for a good two minutes to put up some mental defenses. Seeing my brothers would bring memories back and I couldn't go crying in front of them. I was not only the youngest but I was a girl and for some odd reason Andrea and Hailey didn't count as females. I had to be tough, if not for them, then for me.

I sigh and get out the car pulling my jacket closer to me and set down the street towards Jerry. As I did I got the immediate feeling that someone was watching me. I look to my left to see a two guys in a car. The guy in the driver's seat I didn't know but the other one I did. Lt. Green. That could only mean the other dude was a cop too. Just what we need in our time of grieving. Cops always knew how to brighten up anyone's day. I nod my head to Green, keeping my pace and turn my head to get back to my destination.

**Green and Fowler**

The two men watched the girl with dark brown hair that ran down her back walk toward the house. It had been evident that she had been crying too, her green eyes rimmed with red.

"This one must take the cake. The Bonnie to their Clyde." Fowler said motioning to the girl. Green looked at her and let a smile escape him.

"Ah, Alexandria Mercer. They usually called her Alex. Actually she's a very good kid. A child any mother would have loved to have. Too bad hers didn't live long or care enough to experience it. Straight arrow. Hard worker. A regular Einstein in school. Hell of a fighter street or not. Never gets in trouble. Pushes herself beyond her limits. Always looking out for her brothers and friends even though she was the youngest among all of them. Sometimes the only way to prove she's a Mercer is that the name is on her adoption papers. Only reason she's in the system cuz she stuck her neck out for this girl a few years back. Got beat to hell, her right leg broken in three places, and a whole bunch of other shit done to her trying to protect her and the girl was the one that kill this dude in the end. Chick actually thought she could get away with letting Alex take the fall, till Bobby fixed her. No way in hell was he gonna let his little sister take the rap for only protecting a person that didn't want it. She tries to keep her brothers in check. She's their weak spot. But she's still got a temper that, depend on who you are and who you messing with, ain't too hard to bring out and a left hook worse that Bobby's. She's been around those boys for most of her life. Yeah, she's a Mercer alright, even if she's the only one that doesn't show it." Green said as the girl turned and looked at them without evening slowing her pace. She gave a nod to Green and he returned it, watching her walk toward her brother's house.

"We got one M.I.A. I thought you said there were 5. And the girls' two friends." Fowler said looking at Green who was still watching Alex and the other Mercers.

"Angel? Pretty boy. Ex-hustler. Soldier. Guess he's a no show today." Green said.

**Normal P.O.V**

Alex watched as the group of old women Jerry was talking to went to the back of the house and he embraced the youngest of his brothers. She smiled at seeing most of her brothers back together. She came to a stop when she was close enough and watched in silence. It was learned early on that she was the quietest and could scare the living crap out of you if you didn't notice she was there. The boys were moving toward the front door. Jerry had put out Jack's cigarette and they were talking about the time Bobby burned down his tree house, but then something caught the corner of Bobby's eye and he stared into the face of his youngest and only sister. Jack and Jerry followed their brother's gaze, once the saw he wasn't paying attention to the conversation anymore.

"I remember you yelled at me too, for laughing too hard." She said offering up a piece of the memory while walking slowly to them.

"Lexi!" Jack said smiling wide. He ran over and picked his little sister off the ground, spinning her once and hugging her tightly.

"Hi Alex. Come on. It's my turn." Jerry said as Jack let go of her and went to hug her himself.

"Hi Jerry." She said while hugging him. He let go after a while and smiled at her.

"Well lemme get a good look at you." He said holding up her right hand and she did a slow 360.

"Look at cha, all grown up." he said.

"Well if it isn't little Alex." Bobby said and the other three turned to look at him. He looked at Alex without out expression at first, and then let a smile onto his lips.

"Come give your big brother a hug baby girl." He said opening his arms wide. She all but ran into them and hugged him tight, taking in the warmth. He held on longer than the others but when he let go he took a lock of her hair in his hand left.

"And here I thought you chopped it off like you promised." He said and she chuckled.

"Oh I did. Up to my neck actually. I just got too lazy to keep cutting it." She said grinning at his raised eyebrow.

"She rocked it." Jack chipped in and she smiled back at him.

"Come on lets get inside outta this cold." Jerry said leading the way into his house. They followed him in. Once inside they made their way to the kitchen where they found Hailey and Andrea talking to Camille. Andrea was the first to notice who walked into the kitchen and smiled.

"Well if it isn't ol' hothead and the flagpole." She said turning to them, but addressing Bobby and Jack. Jack rolled his eyes and grinned. He had been called worse and actually didn't mind this one as much.

"And if it isn't everyone's favorite carnival creature." Bobby retorted.

They had always greeted each other rudely. It was in their nature. At first they couldn't stand each other but only tolerated each other for Alex's sake. Then something changed along the way and they grew to be great friends. No one knows when or where it happened and it was one of the big mysteries that might never be solved. She was as much his partner in crime as was Angel, she more of the time. But that still didn't stop them from calling each other names. He smiled and hugged Andrea.

"Hey Bobby." Hailey said from next to Camille.

"Hey Doc." Bobby said. It was a nickname that they had started calling her when they found out her life ambition was to become a doctor. He hugged her as well and Jack came forward as Bobby was greeting Camille.

"Hey Dandy-Andi." Jack said and hugged the older woman.

"Long time-no-see Jackie-boy." she replied as they hugged. He let go of her and turned to Hailey who was smiled softly.

"Hails." He said and embraced the girl.

"Jack-Jack." She hugged him tightly.

Jerry and Alex stood in the background watching the exchange. When the greeting was over Hailey and Andrea became somber.

"How you guys holding up?" Andrea asked.

"As best as you." Jack offered. Alex had swallowed hard and Jerry put and arm around her and squeezed her shoulder.

"Ms. Mercer-" Hailey began.

"Ma." All the Mercer siblings said at the same time. Even though Hailey lived with them and was dubbed an honorary Mercer, she would have to be forced to call Evelyn Ma. They really didn't know why but they never got tired of reminding her. Even Andrea would call her Ma, but would let a Ms. Mercer slip once in a while.

"Ms. Evie was the greatest woman in the whole world and we're all gonna miss her." She said with out getting interrupted. Before anyone could say anything else they heard barking outside and they saw Jerry's two little girls playing with their dog.

"Have you three said hello to the girls yet?" Andrea asked looking between Bobby, Jack, and Alex.

"Nope, but I think we should." Bobby said.

"I'll meet you out there." Alex said and the other two went outside. She turned to Camille and smiled. Camille smiled back and embraced the younger girl.

"Hey Camille." Alex said.

"Hey sweetie. How you doing?" She said as she let go and rubbed her arm. Alex gave a weak smile and nodded at her.

"Ok baby, why don't you say hi to the girls? They miss their favorite auntie." Camille said and gave her another squeeze.

"I thought I was their favorite." Andrea said pointing to herself and everyone laughed lightly.

"We'll see about that." Hailey said from her seat in a near by chair.

"I'll be back." Alex said. She moved toward the kitchen into the backyard and caught a whiff of the brothers' conversation to the girls.

"…And this is your uncle Cracker Jack." Bobby said and she rolled her eyes at Jack's other nickname.

"Don't teach them that man." Jack said but Bobby pretended not to listen.

"You can't be our uncles, your white." Amelia said

"Grandma Evie and Auntie Alex are white." Daniela said. That wasn't really true. Alex had pale skin but she was actually Spanish, Black, Italian and something else mixed together in one. She was proud of her different heritages but not of her parentage. She shuddered, thinking about the times before she went to live with Evelyn. At the sound of her name she went over smiling.

"Did someone say my name?" Alex said to the two little girls, bending down to their level.

"Auntie Alex!" The girls said at the same time and went over to hug her.

"How are my two favorite girls?"

"Fine" they said at the same time.

"Your uncles bothering you?"

"No" they replied again.

"That's good. You're being good little girls?" She said.

"Yup" they replied again.

"You're a policeman!" one of the girls cried suddenly. Bobby, Jack, and Alex looked back to find Green and another guy walk into the backyard.

"That's right your all under arrest so don't move." Green said to the girls. They ran anyway, giggling as they went.

"Hey stop! Were y'all goin?" Green said smiling at the girls.

"You gonna arrest me too Green?" Bobby said standing at full height. Jack and Alex stood up, Alex moving closer to her brothers.

She could already feel the slight tension in the air, and Bobby would be the first to start something. She looked at the guy standing next to Green and immediately got a bad feeling. She didn't like him and he didn't even have to start talking yet. Unconsciously she leaned in on Jack a little. He didn't mind at all because he could feel something wrong with the other guy too.

"That depends Bobby, you been keeping straight?" Green asked looking at him.

"Straight-ish" he replied and Alex chuckled. She knew the fine line between Bobby's straight-ish and the normal thought of straight-ish.

Green and Bobby embraced and he went to Jack next, giving his condolences and then last but not least was Alex. She smiled sadly and hugged him and asked about his family.

"Thanks for coming Green. Ma would've appreciated you coming to the service." Bobby said after a while.

"She would have been happy that you made it back for her funeral." Green replied.

"I didn't come back for no funeral." Bobby replied in a solemn tone. Green and his partner looked at each other then back at the three siblings.

"Thanks for the offer, but we got it under control." Fowler replied.

"Yeah. I could tell by the looks of things driving in. Place looks completely different. Detroit's finest finally cleaned it up." Bobby said. Alex could hear the hint of sarcasm in his voice and couldn't help but smile a little. They were falling into Bobby's little trap.

"Yeah, be easy Bobby. We got these punks. Kid playing basketball across the street witness two gang bangers running in and shooting up the place." Green said.

"Come on Green. I used to make a good living round here cuz you guys couldn't find tits in a strip joint." Bobby said. Alex and Jack couldn't help but let a chuckle get past them.

"Why don't you come inside, get some coffee and some doughnuts, and get the fuck outta here. Alright?" Bobby said and with that the three of them turned around.

"One of these days were all gonna go to jail for your mouth Bobby." Alex commented as they stepped back in the house.

"Please if they can't catch me on the shit I'm not supposed to do, what's the use to book me for tellin the truth?" Bobby said smirking.

"Your truth equals a very pissed off cop." Alex said taking off her jacket. At that moment someone came from behind and helped her take it off.

"Really? I'm not mad at anybody." The person said. She was shocked at first but immediately smiled after hearing the voice. When her jacket was off she whirled around to look at a guy with shaggy black hair and a very trim beard and mustache. His hazel eyes smiled at her and she hugged him without warning. He hugged her back chuckling a little. After a while she let go at looked at him.

"Sammy boy." She said looking up at him.

"Alex." He said smiling.

"I thought you were in California." She said tilting her head.

"I missed my freezing winters." He said and then his smile saddened.

I'm sorry about Ms. Evie. She was like a mother to me too." He said.

"Thanks. I know. What a reunion huh?" Alex said and he hugged her again.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

They turned to see Andrea had joined her brothers who where eyeing Sam warily.

"Ah, yes. You moved back too, didn't you Andi?" He said smiling at her.

"Nice to see you too Sam." She said and went over hugging him.

"Sam." Bobby said looking at the younger male.

"Bobby." He said and held out a hand. He looked at him but then caught the look Alex was sending him and took the offered hand. He turned to Jack who was smiling and shook his hand too.

"Sorry about your mother." He said.

"Thanks for coming." Jack said. Hailey had walked over and let a smile pass at the sight of Sam.

"Well if it isn't Sammy." She said and hugged the younger man.

Sam was also a best friend of Alex. They met in high school and she made his transfer and new kid phase more bearable. He was close to Alex as her Hailey and Andrea, but not in the brotherly form. He was different, but still a great friend. If only two of her brothers would agree.

"Hailey." He said and hugged her back.

"I thought you were just visiting." Andrea said after he let go of Hailey.

"I'm back for good." Sam said and Alex unconsciously widened her smile.

At that moment Green and Fowler came in and saw Sam. They seemed a little surprised and Fowler a little ruffled but he tried to play it off. Sam saw them and immediately dropped from the conversation turning to them.

"Lt. Green, Detective Fowler." Sam said greeting the two cops.

"Detective McCalester. Didn't know you associated with the Mercers." Fowler said and even Green rolled his eyes.

"Well that's on your part Fowler." He said giving them a professional smile so fake it looked real.

"We'll be seeing you in the office Sam." Green said moving away and Fowler followed.

He passed Alex giving her the same look that made her uncomfortable and she bit her lip to prevent herself from lashing out at him. She just let him pass by unnoticed by the others. After he was out of sight she sighed and turned her attention to the conversation of the others, preparing herself for when she'd have to return to an empty home.

To Be Continued

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**Serenity Angel:** Hope you liked! Please review! See ya next chapter!


	2. Going Home

**Serenity Angel:** Hey readers! Next chapter up! Starting from the normal point of view today!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Four Brothers or the characters except Alex and her friends.

Enjoy!

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Four cars pulled onto the empty street. It was late night and the only sound that could be heard were crickets chirping and car doors slamming shut. The Mercer siblings, and two of their family friends Hailey and Andrea, moved about taking out bags and things to go inside the home of the better part of their childhood. The all looked at it at the same time. Jack shouldered his guitar and grabbed his bag from Bobby's car.

"Nice to be home." Bobby commented.

"So shit, what you've been up to Bobby?" Jack asked casually.

"I've been a freaking college professor Jack. What do you think I've been doing?" A sarcastic Bobby answered as the moved toward the house.

"I doubt that." Jack answered with a chuckle.

"Same old Bobby." Jerry said.

"I seriously doubt this family could handle two Bobby." Alex said, raising an eyebrow at him for making a crack with her chosen profession.

She had a love for music that rivaled Jack's, but also liked the idea of helping people learn. She found a way to combine the two and her performance arts class was the best in any of the New York colleges, partly because she was close in age with them, and partly because she was a "freakin awesome and talented teacher" as her students so kindly put it. But she _did_ have some serious talent that was recognized from when she was young, so that always helped with her students and with people telling her she should pursue a career in music, like Jack.

"Oh shit. Sorry Ally. Jeez, you teachers are so fucking touchy." Bobby said as Alex rolled her eyes along with Jerry, then he looked at Jack.

"What about you? Still sucking a little cock left and right?"

"It's too late for that shit Bobby." Andrea answered before Jack could Bobby rolled his eyes and mimicked Andrea in a high pitched voice and it took a lot of willpower and Alex's strength to not to chuck a snowball with a rock in it at him.

"Fuck you Bobby." Jack answered.

"Illegal in all 50 states Jack. So sorry you're out of luck." Bobby smirked.

"Fucker." Jack said chuckling as Jerry opened the door to the dark inside porch.

"Y'all ain't right, leavin me out in the cold like this." A voice from the corner called out. Hailey turned on the lights to reveal the third oldest Mercer sitting laid back in the corner of the room.

"Yo little brother, you asshole!" Bobby exclaimed.

"Lookie who." Andrea said leaning in the doorway.

"He's outta hiding." Hailey said.

"Where the hell have you been?" Jack asked.

"Better have a good explanation." Alex said putting down her bags.

"Should be ashamed of yourself. Get your ass over here." Jerry said as the Mercer siblings moved over to him.

"What was I supposed to do? I missed my plane." He explained getting up.

"Yeah, you missed our mother's funeral too Jarhead." Bobby said as he hugged Angel.

Jerry was next and then Jack.

"Did you get your teeth whitened?" Jack asked as he pulled away and looked at Angel's blinding smile.

"Man shut up Jackie poo." Angel said turning to Alex.

"Hey baby gurl." Angel said hugging her tightly.

"Hey Angel. Starting to loose air here." She said when she was beginning to have some difficulty. He let her go chuckling and grabbed his bag from the corner as Jerry opened the door.

He hugged Hailey and Andrea on his way toward the door, and as the all stepped on to the threshold, they stopped. It was quiet, but everything was the same. The pictures that hung on the wall, the furniture, the little figurines she had scattered in different places, the walls itself. She hadn't changed one single thing. Alex swallowed hard and Angel took off his hat.

After a while Jerry went to sit on the couch. Angel made his way to the kitchen.

"I'm gonna grab something to eat. Any ya'll hungry?" Angel asked as he entered.

"Nah, I'm gonna get some sleep." Bobby said. Jack closed the door behind Hailey and Andrea, then took off his coat and set it on the coat rack.

"Jack, Alex, take your old rooms. Angel and Hailey take yours. I'm gonna sleep in Ma's room." Bobby said catching Hailey's eye as he headed up the steps.

Andrea went to sit in the living room with Jerry and Alex, Jack, and Hailey headed up the steps behind Bobby. They went into their old rooms Bobby and Alex closing their doors behind them.

**Alex's P.O.V.**

I closed the door and looked around. I set my bag on the floor next to my bed along with my guitar. I took off my jacket and sat on the bed tears running down my face. She didn't change a damn thing. Every inch of my walls was still covered in posters, awards, pictures, and a couple of medals: Some for academics and some for winning martial arts and other tournaments. The little bits that weren't covered still had the same sea green paint I'd painted it years ago. I swore I would paint my walls black if a dot of pink ever touched them. My violin stood in the corner of my closet. Bet if I picked it up, I'd still play a clear note. The same picture was still on my nightstand: a picture of all of us: Ma, Bobby, Jack, Angel, Hailey, Andrea, Sam, Camille, and even Angel's girlfriend of the time during my graduation day in front of the school. I was in the middle holding my diploma with pride, grinning from ear to ear. I had a lot to be proud for, I graduated a year early and head of my class. All of my family had come back just for me. Ma was so proud.

The thought of Ma's warm smile made me smile in turn as I took the picture from the stand into my hands. I let the tears fall and the frame, blurring the image. The thought that Ma would never smile at me or any of us again was breaking my heart worse then when I had got the call. I could still remember it clearly.

**Flashback**

A lot of my students were in bands and I was with one in particular since they had asked me to come. It was a late night practice and they said something wasn't right with the way they sounded. They idolized Jack's band The Spares and they were trying to get the sound like Jack's bassist in one of my favorite songs. They were playing well and their song sounded awesome but I could hear and see the problem immediately.

I sat on the couch of the little run down studio watching, resting my head on my right fist and just smirking at them. This was about the 15th time they played the song out with no results to what they wanted to sound like. After they finished the lead singer Caleb looked at me and frowned at the look on my face.

"Aww come on Ms. Mercer. Not yet?" I shook my head no and got up.

"I keep telling you, you tread on it lightly during the first few lines, but you lose it completely once you get to second verse." I say walking over to them.

"Did we even come close this time?" The drummer Amy asked.

"No." I told them bluntly. I walk over to the bassist Tim. All this time I had kept back and told them, but it looked like I had to show them.

"Give it over." I saw holding out my hands. He sighed and gave his guitar to me. I held it, putting the strap on my shoulder.

"This is your problem right here." I said once I'd played a scale.

"Strings are too loose and you hold the guitar a little to low and away." I say adjusting it.

"Amy, start the chorus for me." I said. She tapped out the beat and I picked it up easily playing it out perfectly, just the way they wanted it. Caleb smirked and once I'd finished he shook his head at me.

"Show-off." He muttered and I just laughed. I gave the guitar back to Tim and helped him fix his stance with it.

"Well he is my brother and I do get to play with his band sometimes." I say.

"You're like their mascot." Amy said twirling one of her sticks.

"You know, that is exactly what they said?" I say smiling at her.

"Why don't you play in Tim's place? You look about our age." Kirk, the lead guitarist said smirking and I just gave him a raised eyebrow.

"That's because I am idiot." I say smirking at him. My phone had begun to ring and I went over to the couch.

"Just because of that I might be busy the night you play." I say and look at the screen. It was Jerry. I looked at them all hitting Kirk over the head and laughed.

"Shhh, it's my brother Jerry. Oh and fix that amp. If you want you could probably bust Kirk over the head with it." I say flipping the phone, while he flipped me the finger. I laugh again then answered the phone.

"Hey Jerry. Little late for a conversation. Can't wait for me to come home?" I say walking behind the couch and away from the bands bickering.

"Hey Alex." He said and I immediately heard the emotion he was trying to hide in his voice.

"Jerry, what's wrong?" I asked and everyone else went quiet. He didn't answer and panic began to rise.

"Jer, what happened? Is it the girls? It is Camille? Is it… It's it Ma?" I asked and he sucked in his breath. It felt like I was the only one in the room when Jerry did that and my panic rose to fear.

"Alex, are you sitting down?" Jerry asked his voice choked with tears.

"Jerry, what's wrong? What happened to Ma?" I asked gripping the back of the chair. I had come around from it again and everyone in the room was staring at me.

"Ma…Ma got caught up in a grocery store robbery." He said

"Is she alright? Is she hurt? Talk to me Jerry." I said He didn't answer for a while and I was beginning to fear the worse.

"Jerry your scaring me." I said near tears.

"Alex, Ma's… Ma's dead." He said crying. At that moment everything stopped. There was no sound or images. I became nauseated and the tear falling from my cheek brought me back to my cruel reality.

"No, no she can't be. I-I just spoke with her less than two hours ago. She can't Jer." I said crying.

"She was shot twice. The ambulance came too late." Jerry said and my feet almost gave out on me. I stood there silently crying for a while.

"Did… Did you get any of the others?" I say trying to stop the tears.

"Hailey got to Jack and Andrea is calling Bobby. I'm gonna call Angel after you." He said. I couldn't answer.

"Why Jerry? Why?" I asked him, barely able to get that out.

"I dunno baby girl. I really don't know." He said. There was another pause.

"Listen baby girl. I'll talk to you in the morning." I told him ok and shut the phone off.

I stood there crying and the next thing you I know I scream and my legs finally give out. Caleb, who was closest to me caught me and brought me down to the floor with him. I just cried on his shoulder, and the only thing I could say was she's dead.

**End of Flashback**

I wipe the tears from my eyes and put the picture back on the stand. I couldn't stand being alone with my memories so I get up and open the door to go to Jack's room. He was sitting on his bed strumming his guitar and staring out into space. He noticed me staring at him and motioned for me to take the spot next to him. I crawl in to the spot and rest my head on his shoulder and he rested his head on mine.

"Hey." I said.

"Hey" he repeated.

Jack and I had always been really close. Besides Ma he was the first one to get me to talk to him and in turn open up to my other brothers. We also shared a secret that the others didn't know. It was only Ma, Jack, and me who knew since we were involved. He always protected me and followed me around, making sure I was alright. I remember a particular time I landed in the hospital because of a certain incident and when I got my appendix removed. They had to practically drag him away from me both times. He always kept through on his promises for me. He was my best friend within the family and no one could remove him from that title.

I laid there listening to him strum on his guitar and after a while we hear the bathroom door open. We knew Bobby was in there crying. He came in to Jack's room wiping his eyes.

**Normal P.O.V.**

"You two fairies been crying?" He went over to sit on the floor at the end of Jack's bed.

Alex sighed heavily and Jack put his guitar in a spot on the floor next to him.

"Leave it alone man." He said pulling out a small package.

"Still make a lot of racket on that freaking thing?" Bobby asked once he got comfortable.

"Yeah, still making a lot of racket." He said chuckling. Alex smiled faintly.

"What about you Alex? Any mental breakdowns yet?" Bobby asked.

"They wouldn't try. They value their grades." Alex replied.

"Please tell me you're not like one of them shitty ass teachers we used to have?" Bobby asked casting an eye at her.

"I'm the best teacher they have and ever will have. They love me. And I wouldn't dare." Alex said looking at Bobby. They lapsed into a silence for a moment.

"Too weird in mom's room?" Jack finally asked.

"Aw man. Way too weird. It's crazy. She didn't change a thing in this house." Bobby said looking around Jack's room.

"You know Ma. She wouldn't want to. She wanted to always have one thing remain constantly the same in our lives and that was home." Alex said as Jerry and Andrea appeared at the doorway.

"Look at cha'll." Jerry said.

"What?" Bobby asked looking at him.

"Nothing. Just happy to see ya. Happy to see my brothers and sister again." Jerry said and Alex smiled at him.

"Happy to see you too Jer." Bobby said. At that moment Hailey came out of her room dressed in faded black hip hugging jeans and a lacy halter. Alex raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

"Where you going?" Alex asked as Hailey was near.

"I work part-time at Johnny G's. He told me to take off tonight with pay but I told him I'd work anyway." She said stopping at the door.

"Really?" Jack asked.

"Yeah. And I'm gonna be late. See ya'll later." Hailey said turning toward the steps.

"Need a ride?" Andrea asked.

"Yup. Thanks." She said.

"Does this mean we can get a free round there?" Bobby asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We'll see Bobby." Hailey said heading down the stairs with Andrea following.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Bobby yelled after.

"Maybe!" She yelled back up the steps. The siblings laughed and went into a small comfortable silence.

"I'll go to the grocery store tomorrow and pick up a turkey or something. Have a Thanksgiving Dinner. Let's at least act like we're a real family. Ma woulda liked that." Jerry said after a while. Next thing they saw was Angel coming out of his room looking like he was about to head out.

"Where you going?" Jerry asked this time.

"It's getting heavy in here. I'm just gonna step out and get some air." Angel answered and Jerry and Bobby began to laugh.

"You're full of shit man. You can smell that ass from down the street huh?" Bobby asked.

"Man what you talking bout?" Angel asked feigning innocence.

"What do you mean what man? Come on what. You know what I'm talking bout with La Vida Loca." Bobby said and Alex smiled. She knew there was no way in hell Angel was gonna win this fight.

"Ain't no body gonna go get no La Vida Loca nothing." Angel said.

"She got a boyfriend." Jerry said.

"She got a boyfriend. She got hard dick in her right now. She's screaming somebody else's name and the last thing she's thinking about know is your black ass. Leave it alone man." Bobby said as everyone else went into a fit of laughter.

"I can't believe y'all coming at me with this right now man." Angel said.

"She's nothing but trouble." Bobby said.

"Bow out Angel. We know." Alex said.

"You too Alex? Look I'm standing here telling y'all right now I not going to go see that girl and I'm not." Angel said. With that he headed down the stairs and out the door, slamming it on the way out.

"You know he may not be going to her." Alex said trying to plead his case. They all looked at he with the 'are you really seriously saying this right know' look.

"Who the fuck am I kidding." She muttered sighing and putting her head back on Jack's shoulder as they all laughed.

"Well I guess I'll see y'all in the morning. Good night." Jerry said as he headed down the steps. They heard the door close then Bobby got up off the floor.

"I'm gonna hit the sac it's been a long day." He said stretching. Bobby went to the front of the bed and kissed Alex on the forehead and ruffled Jack's hair before his hand was swatted away.

"Try not to burn the house down fairy." He said going out the door.

"Night." Bobby called on his way out.

"Night." Both Jack and Alex called back at the same time. The sat on the bed in comfortable silence for a while, Jack smoking and Alex resting her head. After he put out his joint he began to speak.

"So how you been?" Jack asked.

"Alright. You? How's the band?" Alex said looking at him.

"They're alright. Told me to go for as long as I needed once I told them. The miss you too by the way. The say hi." Jack said chuckling and Alex smiled.

"How's the class?"

"They're good. Doing well and staying out of trouble. I was with Caleb and his group when I got the call and when I went in again to class they were so quiet and understanding. They knew I'd be going back and they told me the same thing, even though they were gonna miss me a lot and get a shitty ass sub. They miss you too and say hi, come back soon, and wanna hear your latest song. Oh and before I forget. J.C and his band wanted to know if you guys are gonna be in California around late January." She said shifting lower on the bed.

"Why?" He said looking at her.

"They got a gig at the House of Blues." She said smiling.

"No shit?" Jack asked he shifted to lie down comfortably on the bed. She nodded and put her head on his chest. They were quiet for a while and he stroked her hair with his hand.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Jack said. He felt her nod her head.

"Missed you Jack." She said softly.

"Missed you too Lex." He said.

She didn't know when she had fallen asleep, but she could swear she heard a gun shot. She had jolted out of sleep and was looking around. She found Jack looking like he was just woken up too so it couldn't have been another dream. She rubbed her eyes and went to Jack's window. What she saw made her raise an eyebrow.

"Come over here." She said. He obeyed and raised an eyebrow when he saw what she did.

Running down the block in a jersey carrying his clothes was Angel, dragging a half naked Latina who was carrying a jacket that could be no one else but La Vida Loca.

"And so starts today's argument. Tune in for Spanish chick's cursing, Bobby's bitching, and Angel's jackass in the middle status between them. A fine way to start out Thanksgiving." Alex commentated as Angel and Sophie ran in to the house. Jack chuckled and yawned. She yawned in turn and stood up.

"I'll go to bed."

"You sure you'll be okay? You can stay in here tonight if you want." Jack said, hint of worry in his voice.

He knew that bad situations tended to bring out Alex's past in her dreams and turned them into nightmares. This one was the worse. She looked at the floor knowing that it was gonna be a rough couple of more hours.

"Nah, I'll be fine." she lied.

"Get some sleep. Kay? You're cooking today."

"Night Lexi." He said hugging her.

"Night Jackie." She said hugging him back and going into her room.

By the time she got to her room Angel and Sophie were at the top of the steps. She looked at them with raised eyebrow and they looked back at her like a pair of deer caught in the headlights. She just shook her head and went in to her room closing the door silently behind her. She changed into some flannel p.j. bottoms and a comfortable old sleeping shirt and as she got in to bed hoped she'd be okay for the night.

To Be Continued


	3. Thanksgiving Day and it's Drama

**Serenity Angel:** Hey guys! Here's the third chapter. All Alex's P.O.V. today.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Four Brothers of the characters except Alex and her friends

Enjoy

* * *

**Alex P.O.V.**

Of course I was knowingly wrong. I woke up in a cold sweat hearing gun shots echo in my head. Not only had my old foster home experiences come out of my mental fear closet but I was dreaming that I was right there when Ma was killed and I stood there unable to stop it.

Then of course there was the Latina cursing out my oldest brother on the steps. I was already beginning the day in the perfect mood: pissed off. I get out of bed and change into some jeans and a layered t-shirt. Opening the door to the outside of my room was worse. It just got louder.

"Great there's the migraine." I say when I hear Bobby yelling something that was probably directed at Angel.

I go down the steps and slip pass Sophie without a word into the scene. Jerry was laughing his ass off in the lazy boy facing the stairs. Bobby was armed with one of his favorite hockey sticks and yelling at Angel. Sophie didn't even notice I'd pass and was cursing Bobby out calling him some part of human reproductive organs in Spanish. To put it simply everyone was yelling. By the time I'd reach the bottom step my head felt like it was gonna explode, so I did.

"Can y'all shut the fuck up?" I yell louder that I wanted with each word. I looked at Sophie who was shocked to see me standing there. Probably thought I was still in bed.

"Yeah Sophie." Bobby said when he saw who I was looking at.

"You too Bobby cuz one, I'm not on your side either and two, I don't need a fucking commentator." I yell pointing at him. Immediately he clamped, but he looked pissed about it.

"God damn. It is too fucking early in the fucking morning to be cussing and screaming like this." I yell at the top of my lungs.

Bobby had opened his mouth but I stopped him.

"So help me Robert Mercer, if a word comes outta your damn mouth bout Sophie startin this shit, I'ma stick that hockey stick down your throat. Jesus. Why the fuck can't y'all act civilized for one fucking morning?" I yell at him, but addressing everyone.

Boy did I know how to bring the spirit in a room. I grabbed the nearest black hoodie off the coat rack not caring who it was for and make my way to the kitchen in silence. Until it was broken by my 'smartest' brother.

"Jeez what crawled up your ass and died?" Angel commented lowly as to not let me hear, but I did. I stopped mid step.

Then turned and glared Angel in the face. I gave him the perfect death glare. The glare that said 'say one more word and you're gonna be on the five o'clock news as missing or hacked up into little pieces. Let's just say if looks could kill, everyone on that side of the room would have been dead.

After a few seconds of being under that gaze he became extremely uncomfortable, coughed and when to the other side of the living room. I return to my original mission of going to the kitchen, but remember manners after my outburst. I turned back and looked at Sophie on the steps.

"Oh and Happy Thanksgiving Sophie." I said turning back toward the kitchen.

"You, too sweetie." She said a little uncertainly.

I put on the hoodie which I found to be Jack's. It actually smelled like his cologne and not smokes. I avoid whichever looks where being sent my way and sit down at the small table in the kitchen.

Putting the hood over my head I sigh and let my head crash the table with a loud thud. I hear the click-clack of someone's high heeled boots across the floor and the setting of probably a mug on the table and then they rub my back. I uncover my nose and take a whiff of the air. There was turkey, stuffing, potatoes and coffee? Not just any coffee. It smelled like Starbucks roast vanilla: my favorite. I sniff the air some more then raise the hoodie from over my eyes. There was a steaming mug of coffee right in front of me. I drag it over and lift my head over to take another whiff of the aroma. I took a sip and melted. It was Starbucks! I took another sip and then looked around. Jack was roasting the turkey and Hailey was mixing something in a bowl on the table right across from me. She looked at me, worry evident in her eyes.

"Dreams sweetie?" she said and I looked down at the cup.

"Nightmares on blast." I say. Jack had set back the turkey in the oven and taken the seat next to me. I laid my head back on the table and he played with the few strands of my hair, brushing them out of my face.

"How bad?" Hailey asked.

I had always been able to talk with Jack and Hailey when it came to my past. Then didn't try and attempt to go on a killing spree for my old foster folks or force it out of me when they knew I had been thinking of my old life and it was showing that I was distraught. They just waited, knowing I'd come sooner or later to talk.

"Tell me how, not only did my old foster parents come out to play, but I was dreaming that I was right there when Ma died." I said looking down at the table and taking a sip of coffee.

I saw the worried and confused looks on their faces and sighed.

"I mean I was standing right next to her. Heh, even what she said to them sounded like her." I say letting the mug hover in my hands. I close my eyes as I hear it echo in my head.

"May God forgive you for your sins and have mercy on your souls." I repeated the words hearing her voice echo it in my head along with the gunshots.

"Ma would've been the first to forgive." Jack said looking on the table.

"That's what made her who she was." Hailey said.

Another argument had started up again in the next room and Bobby was saying something about turkey cuts. I sigh and get up from the table.

"I'm going outside for some air." I say taking my mug of coffee with me.

They nodded me off and I walked through the kitchen door. The cold air felt good on my face and I take a seat on one of the steps. It was a bleak day. Cold and some clouds. I sigh again and take a sip of my coffee. Maybe I should burn Jack's cigarette stash while I'm out here. I hate it when he smokes. No doubt there's a batch in this hoodie. And it might probably make me feel better.

"Too cold to be sitting out here in only that." Someone said, their voice breaking me out of my thoughts. I look to find Sam, only stubble today, walking up to me.

"You always did love to come through the kitchen door. First to see what Ma was cooking." I say smiling at him.

"It's safer too. Sophie just stormed out of the front door and I could hear your brothers' yelling in the driveway. Not a good start to the day?" Sam asked taking a seat next to me.

"Ooo there is more truth in that then you know." I say taking another sip of coffee.

"Got to love the holiday time with your family." Sam said looking out in the horizon and I chuckled. It was true even though I was pissed off and they were only making it worse.

"Here. Piece offering to your brothers." He said handing me a bag I didn't notice before. I set down my coffee mug and peered inside. It was a pumpkin pie from the bakery, freshly baked.

"Thank you." I say and without really thinking about it I hug him.

"But you know my brothers are human garbage disposals and you should've brought at least two or three. Thought's that count though." I say still in the hug.

I let go and look at him. I really don't know for how long but I locked my gaze with his and we were like that for a while, until Bobby's loud mouth shook my senses.

"And here I thought you were talking to yourself again." Bobby said and I look up at him, feeling I was caught with my hand in the cookie jar. But why? I mean Sam was just a friend. A good friend. A childhood friend. A great childhood friend with really gorgeous eyes and a sexy grin.

"No Bobby, I was talking to the spirit of that dog you ran over a few years back. Still waiting to bite you in the ass." I say trying to get the previous thoughts out of my head.

"Well aren't we Miss snippety today." He said eyeing Sam.

"Do you even know what that means?" She said and he didn't answer.

"Thought so. He brought pie." I say before he got the chance to answer and holding up the bag so he could focus on something else.

"Really, well thank you." Bobby said and both my and Sam's eyebrow's raised and jaws dropped. He actually said thank you to Sam! He's actually being polite to him! Hell must have frozen over good.

"What?" Bobby said to our expressions.

"Nothing." I said. Sam got up and helped me up along with him.

"Well I'm gonna head over to my parents. They say I don't visit often enough." He said. I handed the pie to Bobby who took it inside all the while still watching Sam.

"Knowing their definition of often, you probably don't." I chuckle. He smiled at me and hugged me again.

"Talk to you later."

"Same to you." I say and he let go walking back to his car. I walked up the steps with my almost empty mug and just as I was going inside he called back to me.

"Oh. Before I forget!" He said and I turned to look at him.

"I ran into Andi and she sends her Thanksgiving greetings by the way. She also says she want's the call for the traditional Mercer pick game. Same here." He said smirking at me.

"Sure you can handle? We Mercers' play hard." I said raising an eyebrow.

"I've been waiting for a Mercer game ever since I got home. So yea I can handle." He said walking backward.

"Alright. Just remember the essentials and a first aid kit." I say and he laughs.

"Later!"

"Later." I say smiling I watched him get in his car and drive away before going into the house again. Jack was bent over the turkey again, smirking this time. Hailey was putting on some winter gear, but I noticed the smirk on her face too.

"What?" I ask. They were just a little too quiet and the smirks were getting to me.

"Nothing." Hailey said putting on a snow cap.

"Alright I've got some cake and brownie mixes in the cupboard if you want to make dessert for them. I'm gonna head out." She said wrapping her scarf around her neck.

"Come on Hailey you can stay here. Have dinner with us." Jack said looking at her.

"Actually I'm having dinner with my aunt and uncle. They're in town for the holidays and they want me to meet my in-laws on his side of the family." She said pretty surprised.

I looked at Jack and he looked at me. We knew that was a first.

"Well I'll head out now. Call me too if you guys decide to do a pick up game and save me." She said kissing my cheek and then going to Jack and doing the same thing without thinking about it.

"Later." She called going out the door. I looked back at Jack with a smirk.

He was looking out the door Hailey had gone through, unconsciously touching his cheek where she kissed it. I giggled and went about getting out the brownie mix. I knew my brothers' love for brownies were always before cake on the list. Jack and I passed the time talking and catching up with each others professions. Only once was cooking interrupted to see Jerry and Angel, a.k.a. Nitro and Midnight wrestle it out on the living room floor. Jerry had won much to my surprise, but Angel didn't seem to mad about it. After a while the food was ready and we were around the table heads bowed in prayer.

"Amen." we all said and sat down.

I took the seat next to Angel and across from Jack, the one right next to Ma's seat. It was quiet as everyone passed around the food. I saw them each steal a glance at her seat and smile and let it quickly fade away. I ate slowly thinking of how empty the room felt without her.

"Ally." I almost froze when I heard one of her old nicknames for me.

"Ally, look at me." She said and I turned my head slowly to her seat.

She sat there smiling as if nothing her happened. She was wearing her favorite blue sweater, the one that almost matched her bright blue eyes. She tilted her head toward me and I swallowed hard.

"They'll always be here for you. Let them take care of you for a change, baby. You will always have them. It's alright now, my beautiful little girl. But you better pull your hair back or it will fall into your food." I smiled and looked down at my food.

I pulled back my hair into a ponytail with a clip from around my risk. When I looked back in her seat she was gone. I bit my lip, but before I could even think about touching my food again, Bobby sighed loudly.

"To hell with this man." He said getting up from the table.

"Let's go get a pick up game. I wanna see some quick sticks and some tight passing."

"It's too cold man. I didn't come all the way back here to play hockey." Angel protested.

"Come on. Let's go and show these ladies some fucking skills." Bobby said turning away from the table.

I sighed and looked at Jackie. He was staring at Ma's chair and I could see him trembling a little. I get up and touch his shoulder, then hug him from behind. He touched my arm and I let go.

"You wanna call Hailey or me?" I say smirking at him. He looked at me curiously and I just rolled my eyes.

"Call her and save the day. I really don't think she'd mind." I say moving to head upstairs. I heard him get up from the table and almost run into me on the steps.

"And what do you mean by that?" he asked. I shrugged and kept the smirk on my face.

"Just call her dude. Tell her pick up game at the old rink. I'll grab her skates and stick." I say turning and heading up the steps.

I head into her room first. It was pretty much the same like I'd last remember it. I looked into the closet and sure enough there was her gear. Before I left the room something caught my eye. I looked to find a picture of her and Jack on her stand, along with many others containing at least more that two of the whole gang. I smiled and picked it up. She was kissing Jack on the cheek and he was grinning taking the picture. I remembered this one. It was the first gig she got to go and see. It was his good luck kiss, or at least that's what he called it.

I put the picture back on the stand and head into my room. I had already called Andi about the game and was calling Sam now. I put Hailey's stuff on my bed and went to look for mine, listening to the dial tone and digging through my closet. He picked up in a matter of seconds.

"Hey Sammy."

"Hello Detective Jackson." I couldn't hide the confusion on my face, but then I remembered he was with his parents and laughed.

"Jackson is as best you can come with it?

"Yes, yes it is. What do you need with it Detective?"

"Pick up game at the old rink."

"What time do you need it for?"

"Game starts as soon as we get there. Suggest you leave now."

"But Jackson, I'm with family."

"I'm not holding you back. Go ahead and stay with mommy dearest."

"No, No. I know how important this case is. I'll leave right now. I think I have the file in the office. Where do you want me to meet you again?"

"Old rink."

"Lot of problem's to sort out?"

"Game might take a while. I need to blow off some steam and then there's Bobby."

"Alright I'm on my way. Bye."

"See ya later Sammy." I say and flip my phone of laughing.

I had found my gear and was now sitting on the bed trying to regain control and stop laughing. I just helped the dude weasel his way out of a family dinner. Something I promised I wouldn't ever do again. Some things never change. Jack and Angel were in the door way, looking at me like I was crazy while I held my sides, which were aching at this point.

"What?" I managed to get out.

"When you're finished we got your older brother and his fix for a game to feed." Angel said and I nodded getting up grabbing my stuff along with Hailey's and calming down.

I went down the stairs first, then Jack and finally Angel. Bobby was waiting at the door tapping his foot impatiently.

"Are we done fixing our hair ladies? Let's get this show on the fucking road." He said heading out the door and to Jerry's waiting car.

I was stuck with putting the rest of the gear in the back. I got into the car where I was squished in the middle of Jack and Angel. As usual. I sighed and fixed my cap on my head and smiled to my self. Half way there Bobby looked at me through the rearview seeing as how I wasn't really in conversation.

"So we got some more players or what?" I looked at Bobby through the rearview. I looked at Jack who nodded my way and then sighed.

"We got three extra Bobby." I say fiddling with my nails.

"Three? Hailey or Andi bringing someone?" He asked and I didn't look in the mirror.

"Nah. Sam's playing." I knew that if Bobby was driving, the car would've come to a screeching halt. I was glad it was a smirking Jerry at the wheel. Bobby however, turned around so fast I thought he caught whiplash.

"What? He can't even play! We're gonna have a handicap. No he's going to the other team." Bobby said to the brink of hysterics.

"Take a chill pill brother. Yes he can play. And he can play very well. This is Detroit in case you forgot. Gotta do something to pass the time in the winter." I say feeling my pissed off mood slightly returning.

"Oh yeah and how would you know?" I looked at him through the mirror and sigh looking out the window on Jack's side of the car.

"I remember a time where I couldn't walk much less play. To escape you mother hens in the house I'd go by the rink for a few hours. There I would find young Sam playing against whoever could skate. I admit I found it shocking at first as well. Once I could stand on two feet I'd play him once in a while. And believe me he can play. You remember how he was skinner than Jerry back in the day?" I said looking at Bobby.

"Yeah, regular white Steve Urkel. Minus the clothing and glasses." Bobby said chuckling while looking out the window.

"Well if he could take down guys triple his size back then, I really don't think he'll have a problem playing with us now." I say raising an eyebrow and smirking at the look on Bobby's face.

The others were quiet. I know they don't really like the mention of some parts of the past. I really couldn't blame them. They worry about me a lot and I know it kills them when it slips and they weren't there to protect me.

We reached the rink by that time and were unloading our gear. I was already lacing up when Bobby had come over.

"I don't like to play with someone on my team who's skills I don't know. You know that Alex." He said and I sighed.

"I stake my rep as a skilled player on it Bobby. He can play." I say finishing up my laces.

Hailey and Andi had showed up and were with Jack and Angel lacing up. I took to the ice first as always with my stick and a puck. The rink was empty for now. Bobby had called some old friends out for a pickup and we had arrived early. There were some teenagers coming round, But not on the ice. Probably heard the news of a game going and that the infamous Michigan Mauler was playing it. Bet they didn't want to taste it first hand. Some of those who were playing were just sitting round waiting for the rest.

I tightened my gloves while I skated around on the ice, getting back the feel of it. When I felt I was ready I drop the puck and skate around with it. As I skated around with the puck all the memories of the past games, experiences and practices came back to me. Those were great times. Painful, but great.

I eventually got bored of being by myself. I looked at them and they were talking, watching me, or still lacing up. Bobby just beginning to unload his gear from the damn car. Sam had finally come and was lacing up and talking to Jerry and Angel.

"Oi slow pokes, hurry the flip up." I say refraining from cursing in front of minors. It was a habit of teaching and I intended to break it because my students didn't give a rat's ass.

"Don't get so worked yet Speedy Gonzalez. Save it for the game." Bobby yelled back and I went back to playing with the puck muttering.

Finally some other cars began show. Bobby's friends. I smirked and started to circle the rink again. They piled out their cars and greeted Bobby and the others but when they turned to the ice to see me on it there was uproar.

"Hey, hey, hey! What the hell is this? Yo miss! You need to get off the ice now and let the big boys play." A chunky black guy said motioning his hand like he was hailing a cab. Immediately I got pissed, but Bobby beat me to a retort.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's the problem?" Bobby said going on the defensive.

"What's the problem? Girls don't belong on the ice if they don't got them sparkly shits on. So Shawty needs to get off the ice so we can play some hockey. Not like she can anyway." He said looking at me. Some of his other buddy's grunted in approval as they looked at me as well.

At that moment I was facing a goal, puck aimed. Before they could even blink, I brought my stick down hard the thing went flying, hitting the back of the net and almost touching the backboard. I was inwardly happy though it was a little off. I put a frown on and looked at Bobby who was smirking and the chunky dude how had his mouth open so wide a fly could go in. A lot of them sported the same look. It was priceless.

"That one was a little off. Wasn't it Bobby?"

"Nah, it was pretty good." He said then looked at the guy.

"Looks like she can play C.J. She is a Mercer after all. She and the other girls play on my team. So does the other dude." He said motioning to Sam who was getting on the ice along with my other brothers, Hailey, and Andi.

"Oh and don't be calling my little sister over like she's some hooker, got it?" Bobby said staring him down. He nodded and Bobby went off to join us on the ice.

Sam skated over to me smirking.

"One: that was awesome. Two: You're a lifesaver."

"Oh really? Well what did Detective Jackson save you from?" I ask skating backward slowly chuckling.

"My mother and her continuing nagging of how I should settle down early, find a good wife, and give her grandchildren to brag about." I laugh as I give him my stick and pull my jersey out of my back pocket.

"Bet she was pulling out that book of possible candidates." I say pulling it over my head and I hear him groan.

"I swear she had one on the freaking table next to her the whole time." He said as I fixed my hood laughing.

"And what's so funny?" Andi said skating up to us.

"I saved Sam from getting an arranged marriage." I say laughing. He gave Andi a sheepish grin and handed me back my stick.

"Mom's on the war path isn't she?" She asked and he merely shook his head. Bobby started to call team members out and it was basically Mercers and their family friends vs. the old neighborhood team Bobby used to roll with. The game was about to begin and I was pumped.

"You better bring your A-game today buddy. I staked my rep for you." I say skating into line.

"Just hope you not that rusty." He said falling into line with Jack. I flip him the bird and get ready to play one of the old Mercer family traditions.

To Be Continued

* * *

**Serenity Angel:** Hope you guys like! See ya next chapter!


	4. Just Like Old Times

**Serenity Angel:** Hey guys! Another chapter coming to ya! Normal P.O.V. today. Oh and by the way I know practically nothing about hockey! But I'm trying and if my info is wrong forgive me. By the way this was seriously overdue, but I was unable to watch the movie and my computer broke down and died on me. I wanted to burn its dead carcass and beat it with a bat. (Not necessarily in that order) Forgive me for the long wait. I made the chapter longer than usual for you guys.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the movie Four Brothers or the characters except for Alex and her friends.

Enjoy!

* * *

It was a homecoming game for the ages. Mercer clan against the old neighborhood team: A game for the record books. It started off at a complete stand off as they waited for the puck to be dropped. Some idiots on the other team started making kissing noises at Alex who instantly became disgusted. She stole a glance from Bobby who just nodded. She turned back to one of the guys and smiled evilly. Soon as the puck was dropped it was like a bullet went off and they all went in fighting.

Bobby stole it first and made straightway for the goal. One of the idiots that where hitting on Alex was going after Bobby and she sped his way toward him, body-checking him to the ice. She smirked as he hit the ground and Bobby made the goal.

After about the first five goals that the Mercer side took, it was all out war. Brutality, cussing and cheap shots were flying on the ice along with the puck. Sam proved his salt as a hockey player quickly and Bobby even helped him score a few goals. They were basically slaughtering the other team.

More than halfway into the game one of the guys who got body checked by Alex and was made fun of about it since he was two times her size got pissed and decided to have a little fun. Wrong move. The puck went into play and Alex was on left D, hugging the wall and looking for an opening or any oncoming attacks. Jack had the puck and the guy made out like he was gonna take out Jack but purposely swung into Alex and slammed her hard into the glass.

"What the fuck man?" Alex said to him when he kept her pinned.

"How does it feel shawty?" He said leaning in close to her and smacked her ass. Seriously wrong move.

"Motha fucka did you just smack my ass?" She said extremely loudly and getting even more pissed off.

The puck was still in play heading toward the Mercer goal and the sucky goalie they got stuck with to make the teams even. Didn't matter though. What did was the impending doom coming swiftly toward them. She saw the puck was about to pass with an opposing player and saw it as her cue to break free.

"One, neva, eva touch my ass again boy and two you just signed your fuckin death certificate." She said kneeing him hard in the family jewels and speeding off toward the puck to save it from the goal.

The guy was too busy trying to take care of existing pain to notice four oncoming bullet trains for hockey players and was shoved into the glass by a pile up, almost breaking it. They leaned off and the guy unceremoniously slid to the ice in worse pain than before.

"You touch my sister again, I'ma shove these blades up your ass." Bobby said pointing at him. He was too busy cussing out the nearly unconscious guy on the floor to notice that Alex had saved the puck, passed it off to Andi who in turn passed it off to Sam who passed it off to Hailey who scored a goal. From then on the opposing players tried hard to stay clear of ever touching the youngest Mercer again.

Soon after Mercers won and the other team suffered a humiliating defeat. Especially with the fact that it was a girl that scored the winning goal. Only reason they had stopped playing was because too much of the other team were either bruised and battered or couldn't take any more of Bobby's or Alex's stamina. Even members on their team were beginning to get tired.

They got off the ice at their own speeds and some of the younger kids that were watching started to take to the ice. They began their game immediately after Bobby had gotten off the ice, him being the last.

"You and your game fixes Bobby." Andi said sitting on the bleachers and unlacing her skates.

"What? You complaining now?" Bobby said taking a seat near her.

"Nah, I'm just happy I'm here when you get them." She said smirking at him. Bobby smirked gloatingly too.

"That was a game for the age's man. Haven't played that hard in while." Hailey said taking a seat on the bleachers and stretching.

"This is one thing New York can't really offer me." Alex said looking at the game that was being played by some teenagers.

"It was a pretty good game." Jerry said smiling. He had already taken off his skates and packed his gear. Angel was the second one to stand up.

"Pretty good? Jerry we creamed they asses. And y'all were good out there I'm proud." Bobby said putting on his Tims and smiling like a proud father now. Most of them rolled their eyes as he turned to look at Jack who had returned with his stuff from the public lockers.

"Even Jack didn't play like a-" he stopped short when Hailey, Andi and Alex picked their heads up and looked at him.

"Like a what?" Andi said lacing up her furry boots.

"Yeah, Bobby. Like what?" Jack said sliding in the seat in between Hailey and Sam who had gotten up to put his gear in his car.

Bobby finished putting his gear in his pack and looked around as if he didn't hear the last two questions.

"Bobby, like what?" Hailey had asked this time, slightly moving her hockey stick toward her. Bobby was still pretending like he didn't hear and then found what he was looking for.

"Ah pay-up time. Meet you guys by the car. Angel you coming?" Bobby said quickly getting up and walking over to C.J with Angel on his heels. Sam was walking back from putting his gear in the car.

"Hey, good game Sam. Not a bad player yourself." Bobby said patting him on the back as he started to jog to C.J. who seemed to be walking a little faster at the sight of Bobby and Angel Mercer.

For the second time that day Alex's mouth dropped.

"It's official. Hell is frozen straight through." Alex said with complete disbelief.

"Why would you say that?" Jerry asked as he shouldered his gear.

"Did you just witness what I did? Bobby just- wait that's it!" she said as she put her boot on.

"What's it?" Andi asked looking at Bobby.

"That's a freaking replacement clone, or something cuz that can't be Bobby." Alex said pointing at her eldest brother.

"What, he can't give a complement any more?" Jerry asked.

"Jeremiah Mercer since when has that man ever should an ounce of decency to Sam since like the whole time I've known him? Twice in the same day? He was giving him the evil eye yesterday! And you know Bobby. He doesn't go out and tell someone straight out that they're a good player." She said in almost a whisper as she put on her other boot.

"Maybe he's finally warming up to him like Jack and me." Jerry pointed out and gave Sam a reassuring pat on the back.

"When pigs fly. This is Bobby _and_ Angel Mercer were talking bout here. It'll be a world gone mad when they warm up to my friends that are guys. No offense Sam." Alex said giving him a sorry look.

"None taken." He said holding up his hands in mock surrender and smirking at her.

"I bet you if Bobby knew how close I was to my students he'd be in the back of the class eyeing the freaking male population of my classes with gun in hand." She said as she put her skates in her bag.

"How close are you with the students in general?" Andi asked and they all happened to lean in closer.

"I'm pretty cool with them, but that's not the issue right now." She said getting up and walking down the bleachers and on to firm ground.

"And the issue would be?" Hailey asked.

"He's up to something." She said picking up Angel's bag while Jerry got Bobby's. Andi and Hailey rolled their eyes.

"Then give me another reason for flipping his attitude over night practically." She said heading to the cars with Andi, Sam, and Jerry.

Hailey had stayed behind with Jack since he was still getting out of his skates for he was paying full attention to the conversation. Jerry had opened the back up and set his stuff inside along with Bobby's. Alex followed the suit and had just finished putting in her stuff when Bobby and Angel came with Hailey's stuff.

"She's still with the fairy. Damn slow-pokes." Bobby muttered.

"Says the king of slow-pokes." Alex said. Bobby grabbed her by the waist, took off her hat, and proceeded by giving her a noogie.

"Who's the king of slow-pokes now huh?" he said continuing with the treatment smirking.

"Stop." She whined even though she was smirking as well.

Bobby eventually let go and she went to hide behind Sam. She peered from behind his 6 foot and four inches frame at Bobby and stuck her hand out. Sam just smiled at the exchange between brother and sister, even if he may have been caught in the middle. He wouldn't admit it out loud and in front of her brothers but he liked the she chose him to be her body shield.

"Hat please." He gave it back making a face at her and she resorted to sticking her tongue out instead of flipping him the middle finger and probably getting picked up from the ground and thrown into a snow bank. Suddenly something on Sam began to shake him.

"You're vibrating dude." She said in a whisper as to not let the others hear. Apparently Andi did and began to laugh. He checked his waist to see that it was his phone.

"Crap. It's my damn boss." He muttered and she smirked.

"The real one?" Alex asked and the brothers present looked at her confused.

"Yeah. Hold up." He said walking toward his car.

She matched Bobby's confused look as Jerry fixed the gear in the trunk. Jack and Hailey were coming from the bleachers laughing and talking. Once Sam was away Angel leaned against the back of the car.

"Something about being back home makes me want to steal an American car." He said looking off into the distance.

Andi and Alex looked at him before shaking their heads and muttering dumbass.

"Hey, no calling your big brother names Alex." Bobby said looking at her and she looked right back with a raised eyebrow before letting a smirk grace her features.

"I thought you said he was my big sister." She said innocently.

"No that's Jack." He said coming back as quickly. Jack glared at the back of Bobby's head and stuck up his middle finger, which Alex had seen and laughed at. When Bobby turned around Jack was already putting away his stuff like nothing ever happened.

"Well it's nice to know you still have y'all nicknames fore each other and stuff. But before the nostalgia wears off and y'all wanna blow back outta town, we've got some important business to take care of." Jerry said closing the back of the trunk when Jack had finished putting his stuff away.

Alex looked at him and noticed the serious glint in his face.

"Oh boy." She sighed.

* * *

"Gentlemen... and lady, I'm truly sorry about your mother. Although I only met Evelyn the one time, she made quite an impression." The lawyer whose name none except probably Jerry could remember said.

They were currently sitting in one of the numerous offices in the building he worked in, talking about what their mother had left behind for them. Everyone else had conveniently made themselves scarce when Jerry had first mentioned it by the ice rink. Once the stuff had been dropped off and everyone changed into something dry, Jerry piled them all back into the car and brought them here. So now here they sat, listening to the lawyer, Bradford Alex thought the his name was, drone on.

"I know it's difficult to deal with mundane financial matters while your heart still grieves for a loved one." He stated and he actually looked sorry.

"How much do we get?" Jack suddenly asked Bobby immediately smacked Jack in the head. Alex turned to him and gave him the only look.

"Jack no." she said shaking her head slightly at him looking hurt.

While the rest of the Mercer family was scolding the youngest male, Bradford had moved over to a smaller table and retrieved a rectangular metal box and put it in the middle of the table in front of them.

"This is the-uh contents of your mother's safety deposit box. I'll leave you to look through it." He said as Bobby pulled it towards him and Bradford left the room. Bobby opened it looking in side and finding multiple papers. He took a glance at it before handing one set of papers to Jack, then one to Jerry, and finally one to Alex. They looked at it curiously. It only took a second for Alex to realize what they were.

"Birth Certificates." Jack stated looking at his own. He moved the paper clip holding it out of the way and looked at the other contents.

"The adoption papers." He stated once again before looking through them.

"Henry Ford Hospital. So I am from Detroit." Jerry said a little happily.

"Lansing, Michigan." Jack mumbled.

"My mom was sixteen?" Jerry asked surprised looking past Alex to Jack and the others.

Alex herself was playing little attention. What she was reading was making it hard to breathe. She closed the papers, her face grim and looked up only to stare off into the distance.

"I got any papers in there man?" Angel asked, slightly breaking Alex out of her trance. Bobby had shaken his head muttering a no.

"You got any papers in there man? Angel asked and Bobby shook his head again.

"Whoa." Jack exclaimed when Bobby had moved another paper. His hand shot into the deposit box and came back out with a ticket.

"1969. Mom went to Woodstock." He said with a smile.

"Yeah, you didn't know Mom was a hippy?" Bobby said chuckling. He took a side glance at Alex, noticing how quiet she was, causing Jack to do the same.

"What's up?" he said nodding toward her papers, which she had clutched in an almost death grip.

"Nothing." She mumbled looking down. When he noticed that she was staring at the papers he went to grab for it. She smacked his hand at glared at him.

"Jack." She growled out low. The others hadn't caught it, or at least Jerry pretended he didn't.

"Leave it alone." She said her eyes hard.

"Oh, here we go." Bobby suddenly said before Jack could push further. He stood up holding a wad of cash, the rest of the Mercer children following him.

"You sure I don't got any papers in there man?" Angel asked looking in the deposit box.

"Here's your paper right here. Bobby said dividing and distributing the cash to Angel, Jerry, Alex and keeping a couple bills for himself.

"What about me?" Jack asked putting his hand out.

"Nuh-uh. Here. That will look good on you." Bobby said pulling out a necklace from the box and dropping it into Jack's hand. He looked at Bobby disbelieving but Bobby had already closed the box and tucked it under his arm. Jack looked around at the others but they were already moving and putting on their jackets. He noted that Alex's pissed off look seemed to intensify as she stared at the back of Bobby's head.

"Whatever man." Bobby said walking out the door.

"You got to be fucking me." Jack said and had muttered a few more curses as he grabbed his jacket afterward.

"Quit crying." Jerry said to him as Jack moved from around the table.

"Come on, I got something to show you." He said leading them out the room and back to the car. Alex had stayed quiet the whole time idly listening to the conversation and staring out the window. Of course Jack was worried, but said nothing, allowing her space and waiting when she would come and talk to him. When they had stopped again, it was in the far side town in the broken down buildings of the city.

"This is it." Jerry said throwing his arms open wide.

"So this is your dream Jerry?" Jack asked as her put an arm around Alex's shoulder and they all walked into one of said broken down buildings. She had leaned into Jack, just listening to the conversation.

"Oh yeah." He answered smiling at his other siblings.

"There's a lot of space in here what are you going to do, build some automobiles?" Jack asked as they climbed the steep walk.

"No, luxury lofts." Jerry answered.

"Rims man, new rims." Angel had said but Jerry ignored him.

"Urban sophistication is what I'm talking bout." Jerry went on.

"Oh, so now you doing real estate?" Angel asked but was ignored once again.

"This whole first floor here is gonna be lavish offices and storefronts. I'm gonna put stain glass windows here." He said motioning to the sides of the building as they walked. He explained in detail what he planned to do, beaming that he was standing out from his family. Alex smiled at his happiness. He was like a kid in candy store explaining why Hershey's kisses are better than Nestlé's Crunch. (A/N: I can't decide which is better. They're both so good!!! :3)

They were on a certain floor crammed with a bunch of crap that was left there when the building shut down when Bobby decided to open his big mouth.

"This building is condemned. You got insurance?" Bobby asked looking at him.

"Why?" Jerry asked looking confused.

"So we can burn this bitch down-" Bobby started but Jerry stopped his train of thought.

"No we ain't burning shit down. You always want to destroy something." Jerry said and Alex laughed a little.

"He's the Michigan Mauler, what do you expect?" she stated from where she was looking around.

"Look. Look at your little brother." Bobby said and all the Mercer sibling's heads turned to Jack, Alex grimacing in disgust at him peeing at the corner.

"Jack!" Jerry called with authority.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is this the master suite? Am I making the property value go down?" he asked turning around to them while Bobby and Angel laughed.

"And y'all wonder how you get diseases. By doing shit like that." Alex stated turning her head away.

"This shithole gives the term 'Motor City Breakdown' a whole new meaning, Jerry." Bobby stated crossing the room and looking around.

"How the hell you gonna pay for all this?" he asked stopping in front of a metal rack.

"Government redevelopment loan. Easy to qualify. Low interest rates. Y'all stick around. I might give y'all ass a job." He stated looking at his brothers.

"You know they need it. Especially Bobby." Alex commented under her breath. Bobby heard anyway.

"And what about you, you brat? Could be the secretary. Wear one of them little headphone shits on your head and talk your ass off all day. I know you'll enjoy that." Bobby retorted.

"One, I have a job that I love thank you very much. Two, it pays better than some of the shit you did while you was younger. And three, I ain't the gossiping teenager of the family Bobby." She shot at him with a raised eyebrow. Before Bobby could comment back they all heard Angel bust out laughing and turned to him. He turned to the others pointing to one of the shelves of the rack.

"They- they look like nipples." He commented as his smile faded. They all turned their heads at the stupidity of the comment.

"It's official. I have male chauvinistic pigs for brothers." Alex commented turning her away from yet another brother. Jerry, who was the closest slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in to a one arm hug.

"Let's go get a real drink." Bobby said, polishing off his beer and throwing the bottle on the floor, making it shatter to pieces.

They headed back out into the cold, Jerry driving and soon found themselves at Johnny G's. It was one of the official hang outs of the Mercer's, even before they were of the legal drinking age. Bobby used to work there a couple nights a week up until he left town and Alex hand more than one experience of picking up one of her drunken brother's from there on occasion. It was the only reason she was let it besides when Bobby worked there and plus the fact that she didn't drink. Too many bad experiences to follow through on her brothers' lifestyle. They were more than happy with her choice however, and only every now and again tried to get her to drink a toast for something which she usually refused.

It was a little emptier than usual, haunted by the loyal costumers. They made their way to the bar counter, Bobby and Angel greeting almost everyone in there on the way. It would only figure that they would know practically the whole bar. Bobby and Angel took the front, Alex, Jerry, and Jack talking amongst themselves. While Jack was talking he stopped mid-sentence, a smirk forming on his lips.

"I thought you said you weren't working tonight." He said and Jerry and Alex turned to see Hailey turning toward them with a serving tray in hand. She wore a black tank top with a graphic design in white, a skirt that was slightly higher than mid thigh and had chains on one side, and boots that stopped mid calf. Her dark auburn hair curled to mid-back am she smiled at them, her hazel brown eyes twinkling.

"Filling in." she said setting two drinks down on the table in front of her.

"Aren't skirts the root of all evil?" Alex said as she gave her friend's outfit the once over.

"Hence it's ok to wear it here." She said motioning to their surroundings. Her tray empty, she walked with them to the bar talking with them and Jack watching her the whole time. Jack, Jerry, and Alex took the available seats at the bar next to Angel and Bobby. Jack watched Hailey's hips sway as she went around the bar to Jerry and Alex's amusement.

"Well lookie here. If it ain't the youngest Mercer's by far. Old enough to be in here too if I'm correct. And Jerry too. What's up man." Johnny said as he clapped Jack on the back over the table top and shook Jerry and Alex's hands.

"Well don't we look sexy Hailey?" Bobby said while Angel wolf-whistled. She laughed while she served two customers at the end of the bar counter. She turned to them, smirk on her face.

"I know I do. I just wanna know who was lying to you." She said grabbing a few glasses and placing them on the table in front of the boys.

"Don't make fun of my best girl, Bobby." Johnny said mussing up Hailey's hair when she was near. She laughed as she grabbed glasses for herself and Johnny. She then looked over Jack's shoulder and smiled.

"Was this the one that lied to you Bobby?" she said motioning her head and the general direction behind Jack and they all turned to see Andrea and Sam coming toward them.

"Now the gang's all here. Was this planned or something?" Johnny commented laughing.

"What's up McCalester? Johnson?" He said shaking their hands over the table.

"Nothing much. The same old." Andrea commented.

"Detroit being Detroit even on a holiday." He said taking off his jacket and taking the seat near Alex. Andi took the last available seat near Bobby. Hailey grabbed two more glasses shooting one toward Andi and another to Sam. Johnny grabbed a bottle of whiskey off the shelf.

"So what the hell did I do this time?" Andi asked as she gave Johnny an okay to pour her a drink.

"Telling Bobby he's sexy." Hailey answered pouring down the line and was about to skip over Alex when she gave the okay for her to pour out some in her glass. Jerry, Hailey, Jack, and Sam all looked at her stunned. She rolled her eyes and then looked at Bobby.

"I think I know who this shot is gonna go out to. This'll be the first and last time." She said grimacing at the fact she was going to break her streak, but for what she thought Bobby was about to do she dubbed it okay. Once all the drinks were poured and everyone had eased into easy conversation Bobby cleared his throat and raised his glass.

"Your attention please. I wanna make a toast. To Evelyn Mercer. The greatest mother four degenerate bastards, the sweetest girl in the universe and our two- I mean three wise ass friends ever had." He said making the correction after he caught sight of Sam at the end of the table. They all clinked glasses and downed it strait. All the glasses dropped to the counter seconds later and empty, and Johnny picked up the bottle of whiskey again.

"Johnny, pour me and my brothers another round. And some nice warm milk for my little sister here." Bobby said as the others pushed their glasses toward Johnny.

"Man, I will drink you under the table." Jack said looking at Bobby.

"We're not talking about sperm Jack, this is whiskey." Bobby said clapping his hand on Jack's back.

"What about the other little one?" Johnny said eyeing Alex at the end of the table. She was talking to Sam and Hailey and turned when she felt eyes her way. She just shook her head and let the right corner of her mouth rise a bit.

"Any soda mixed with cranberry juice please. It will hopefully knock out the taste. And y'all wonder why I stick to no drinking." She said grimacing again. Bobby smiled while Hailey filled the order. They stayed at the bar talking to Johnny and Bobby and Jack having their drinking contest. After a while they all moved to a table, taking the drinking competition with them. Hailey stayed manning the bar for a few more customers before taking the floor again. It only became too apparent after a while though that Jack won that competition.

"Jack drinks jack. Jack drinks jack. Jack drinks jack." Jack said talking into the cup.

"That's your brother." Jerry said to Bobby, pointing at the drunken Jack.

"Thank God for that. At least he belongs to somebody." Andi mumbled under her breath next to Bobby.

"I disowned my claim 30 minutes ago." Alex said looking at Jack over her cup of soda. He removed the cup from his mouth and stuck his tongue out at her. Sam who was sitting on the other side of Alex just laughed.

"Jack likes ass crack and ball sack." Bobby said.

"Jack doesn't lick ass crack and ball sack." He yelled a little too loudly.

"Go on and announce it to the world Jack." Andi said taking another swig of her beer.

"Jack likes boobs. Jack gots fans. Jack gots lots of fans." He said shifting in his seat.

"Oh, man." Bobby mumbled while Angel narrowed his eyes at Jack.

"Will you shut up man?" Angel said while Alex just laughed at her older brothers.

"And mind you we wouldn't be able to sit through any of this and blackmail 'em when we were younger." Sam mumbled to Alex.

"You couldn't. I had come in more than once to remove one of these drunken asses. Hailey had been hovering over by another table and came near smirking. She took one look at Jack and mumbled something about a cure all. Then she looked at Alex who was taking another sip of her soda and laughed.

"Singing in the rain." She said and Alex eyes bulged and she almost choked on and spit up her own drink laughing. Sam patted her on the back gently, confused with the rest of her brothers. Andi was covering her mouth trying to hold in her laughter. Hailey left laughing herself but had promised to be right back.

"Oh my God. I almost forgot about that." She said between fits of laughter. The others looked at her confused.

"You honestly don't remember? I'd understand why Bobby and Angel wouldn't." They all shook their heads no. "Oh, my God. It was when I was 17. I get a call from Johnny saying to come pick these Broadway showgirls you call brothers up and outta my bar. I was wondering what the hell he meant the whole time I was driving there. As soon as I step out the freaking car you hear a chorus of 'Singing in the Rain' coming from Johnny's bar. I'm like what the hell is going on as make my way through. Next thing you know who but Bobby and Angel are on the fucking bar counter top drunk off their asses and leading the whole fucking bar in a Broadway tune. As soon as I was near enough the song choice changed to 'My Girl' and Bobby starts serenading Mary Lee, you remember the old woman who used to man the bar?"

"The one with liver spots and the bad hip?" Jerry said laughing.

"Yeah. I had to drab them off the bar top away from Mary and out the fucking door. They were going on like they were a regular act sayin they'd be there all week. Next thing you know as soon as I get them home they puke in the car. Next day they don't remember shit. I was always wondering how you kept your freaking job Bobby." Alex said ending in a fit of laughter along with Jack, Jerry, Sam and Andi. Bobby and Angel just glared at the rest of the group.

"That shit did not happen." Angel said and Alex laughed harder.

"It would explain why Mary kept hitting on me before she retired or why Johnny refused to let me near the special stash." Bobby said and took a long swig of his bear while the other still laughed.

"Wait so that's what happen to make my fucking car smell so bad? I had to burn the shit and get a new one." Bobby said looking up at the others. They just laughed harder at Bobby's scowl. Hailey had come round the table with a few refills for the others and an ugly looking thing in a glass. She looked and Jack and shook her head. She had handed everyone else their drinks and was currently standing with the glass of ugly and looking at Jack with a smirk. He looks at her and smiled.

"Hello Hailey." He says.

"Hello Jackie." She said back. The others watch the exchange.

"Hey Jackie do me a favor. Tilt your head back and good 'ah'." She said smiling innocently. Not seeing any trouble in his slight drunken stupor he listened to her and then she pincheed his nose close and tilted the glass of ugly into his mouth with out spilling a drop. Before he can even try and spit it out she put the glass down and closed his mouth.

"Swallow." She said and seeing that she wasn't going to let it come out of his mouth he forced it down, gagging when she let go of his mouth.

"What the fuck was that Hails?" he said trying to get the taste out of his mouth.

"That is what is going to help that bitch of a hangover you'll have tomorrow." She said.

"Damn Doc. Remind me not to piss you off when I come for a check-up." Angel said and everyone laughed.

Suddenly someone's phone began to ring. Everyone looked at their phones automatically but it was Sam who opened his.

"McCalester." He answered in a formal, and serious tone. Everyone zoned on him and listened, not bothering to be discreet.

"Yeah. Uh huh, Yeah. Okay." Went the one side of the conversation everyone could hear.

"Alright I'm on my way." He answered shutting off his phone. He sighed as put his phone back in its case on his hip.

"It never ends." He said getting up and pulling his jacket from behind the chair he was sitting in.

"Gotta head to the station. Guess I'll see y'all round." He said smiling at the group and letting it linger on Alex for a while longer. Only Andi and Hailey saw it. Jack saw it as well but was too much into his current drunken-to-sober state to comment.

"Night Sam." The girls called as he was walking away.

"Night Sam." Jack mimicked in a high pitched voice. They all looked at him, including Sam.

"That right there should have been caught on tape." Sam said before saying another good bye and heading out the door.

"Hey I didn't say it was instantaneous." she said putting the empty cups on the tray.

"I think we should be following Sam's example and get the hell outta here." Jerry suddenly said stretching.

"Why are you in such a rush? You can't hang with your big brother and have a drink?" Bobby asked looking at Jerry.

"I'm here, I mean, what? I'm glad y'all here. I love y'all." Jerry said.

"We love you too Jerry." Everyone said at the same time.

Johnny had just walked over after Sam left. He had been eyeing the table the whole time, waiting for Sam to leave.

"Hey, that's some real goddamn bad stuff about your mom fellas." Johnny said, leaning against the wall.

"Yeah." The Mercers all mumbled simultaneously.

"Freaking gangs. Worms. Someone ought to step on them." He said and Alex froze looking it him. He was trying to drop a hint, she could tell. This night was not going to end well.

"Which gang Johnny G?" Bobby said leaning back in his chair and throwing his arm over another.

"Oh Shit. Here we go. I knew it." Jerry said leaning forward and taking his glass.

"I think I heard something. The neighborhood's really upset about this." Johnny said looking at each person at the table.

"Same old Bobby." Jerry commented looking at him.

"Mama always said 'As bright as Bobby is he just doesn't like to think.' Ain't no good gonna come from this. Just let the police do they damn job." Jerry said.

"Oh, stop with the police man." Jack said going for another shot of whiskey from the table, only for it to be grabbed out of his hands from Hailey.

"Jerry, half the cops in this town are crooked. You think the other half give two shits about a liquor-store hold up?" Bobby said looking at Jerry.

"I'm telling you man, Green is on our side on this one. Sam too. Maybe more so. Come on man." Jerry pleaded.

"Green? She's the only one that ever gave a damn man. The least we could do is bang on a few doors and see what happens. We owe her that much." Angel said and Jerry shook his head through the whole thing.

"Why you acting like such a bitch Jerry?" Bobby asked quietly.

"Okay. So now what, y'all just gonna shoot up the whole town cuz y'all mad?" Jerry asked.

"Why not?" Angel asked.

"Come on man. The people who did this are probably from the same shitty ass streets that we came from. Mom would have been the first to forgive them and y'all know that." Jerry answered.

"We can't all be saints, Jerry." Bobby said taking a swig of his whiskey.

"Yeah, we can't all be saints, Jerry." Jack mimicked.

"All right. All right cool." He said standing up. He looked at Alex and then turned to Bobby.

"I know she better stay out of this. She has a life that doesn't need a record on it." Jerry said pointing at Alex.

"I can make my own decisions Jerry." Alex said looking up at him, her eyes hard.

"And?" he said putting on his coat.

"I'm not gonna let the fucker go free." She said and her sudden use of profanity since that morning surprised Jerry, but what looked liked it surprised him more was the fact that she choose to stay.

"If they get too deep by my standards, I'll pull them out." She said looking at him.

"Think sense Alex. I'll ride with them." Andi said not wanting her to tag along any more that Jerry.

"Then I'll make great company." She said and the tone of her voice made her decision final.

"Bye Jerry." Bobby said not looking at him.

"Don't call me when y'all get shot up. This is Detroit, in case you forgot." He said fixing his collar and walking away toward the exit.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Bobby said.

"Johnny. Come tell us what's going on man." Angel said. Johnny took a chair and sat down leaning in on the table. Everyone else, including Hailey who was still there with the glasses, leaned in too.

"You wanna know what I heard?" Johnny asked and as he told his tale of what he heard on the streets, each person around the table prepared themselves for what they where going to do with it.

* * *

To Be Continued

**Serenity Angel:** This chapter came out to be pretty long but you guys deserve it. I'm sorry for the long wait! Hope you enjoyed! For all my readers think of it as Christmas present though it was supposed to be out sooner.


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